Mrs. Falbo was brought to Hamilton Animal Services as a stray, but no owner came forward to claim her. This poor old cat is in rough shape. Her previous owner declawed her, and she is showing signs that it is very painful for her to walk. Declawing has long been thought of as a good option to prevent a cat from scratching furniture or carpets, but declawing is a literal amputation of last bone of the cat’s toes – not just “removing” the claws. It can cause behavioural issues such as increased aggression and can cause litter box issues. Declawing is an extremely painful procedure for a cat to go through, and can cause them a lifetime of discomfort. Thankfully, many vets are no longer offering declawing at their clinics, and we hope to see a full ban on the procedure Canada wide. For more on the detriment of declawing and the many alternatives, check out The Paw Project.

Mrs. Falbo had a vet visit on her rescue day where she had xrays and blood work done. Xrays showed that this poor kitty is suffering from severe arthritis. Blood work showed that she is hyperthyroid. She’s been started on medication for both. She needs dental surgery to take care of some rotten teeth, so she’ll have a re-check appointment in a month to see where her blood levels are at. Hopefully she’ll be healthy enough to have the dental surgery then.

For now, Mrs.Falbo is settling in at her foster home and loving all the attention she’s getting. Despite all she’s been through, Mrs. Falbo has lots of love to give.

Welcome to Ladybird, Mrs. Falbo! We’re so happy you’re here!

July 5/25 UPDATE
Mrs. Falbo was finally able to have the dental surgery she needed, and she did great. She was diagnosed with a lung tumour called pulmonary adenoma. It’s a benign tumour that is not causing her any trouble at this time. If any respiratory symptoms arise, they can be treated as needed. Our vet noted that cats with this issue can live for many years without any problems at all. Since Mrs. Falbo has no symptoms at all, we hope this will be the case for her as well.
Recently, Mrs. Falbo ended up with a urinary infection, so she’s on medication and is responding well. She has a follow up vet appointment coming up, and hopefully she’ll get the all clear to be made available for adoption then.

Go, Mrs. Falbo!